Author
Topic: Notification screen - aka "the fax" (Read 8879 times)

It's been mentioned before, the fax screen needs a 21st century update!So this threads will be to discuss new ideas for this image, and how it will display messages in the game.

Here are some things to think about:

In TH, the fax machine was used to enter cheats, so perhaps the computers keyboard could be used to enter cheats in CorsixTH, clicking on a sequence of letters on the keyboard to activate the cheats?

This new screen can be rendered in higher resolutions than 640x480, so will we still show screens windowed when the game is running at resolutions higher than 640x480, or will we now go back to fullscreen? I'll could render at 4K if the game will be played at resolutions this high in the future.

Assuming the image is shown full screen, could tabs be used in the notification screen to switch between other messages? Sort-of like a tabbed internet browser. So if multiple items need attending to, the user can access them all without leaving the screen.

With regard to entering numbers for the cheats. The numbers related to letters on the fax machine keys, so the code translated into a word, I can't remember what word is, but it is mentioned in the forum somewhere.We could keep to the same sort of idea by not having a computer screen but using a modern phone at the side (one of these that are all screen, not techy when it comes to these things). In one view you can go through your messages and in another view you see a keyboard (like when you text) as this is the same as what the fax would do i.e. number 2 is a, b or c.

Nice idea, the phone is now sat in a dock. Might be easier for people with smaller screens now. I didn't want to make it much bigger, as it's still got to be a fairly hidden feature.I'll also create another image where the keys are pressed, so it shows red text instead of white when selected for each key.

I agree that Faxes are still used in the world, but however when comparing them to the use of computers/email, I'd imagine it's almost non-existant.If you'd like to keep the fax machine in the game as homage to the original, that's a fair point. I'll create a poll to see how many others would like to keep it the same.

any thoughts about making it less obvious?I was thinking about hiding it a little more, but when you click it (or tap it) it shows a closeup view of just the phone so you can enter the cheats there.Joe.

Given that the point of the screen is the message on the monitor, it should be in the centre of the screen rather than (slightly) off to the side. It being off-centre is noticeable, and draws attention to the possibility of there being something interesting on the other (left) side.

It also doesn't help that there's not much clutter. Anything there is stands out by virtue of the background being so dull. More decoration and desk objects (Post-It notes are a good one, as is a coffee mug with optional stains on the table, a stress toy and a newspaper) would help to hide the fact that one of those objects actually has a purpose.

On a related note, might it be possible and/or desirable to have variations of the screen? For example, every five times you open the screen the plant wilts a little, or the positions of objects randomly move around a little. I imagine it would just require drawing pictures of the objects over the main background, and it shouldn't be too difficult to decide which pictures to show where and when.

You could even make cheat-entering a two stage process, such as needing to click the blue Lua circle on the book first before being able to enter a code. Even if you knew what the number pad was for (and who doesn't?), you'd still need to know how to unlock it.

On a related note, might it be possible and/or desirable to have variations of the screen?

I've had this idea myself actually! Although I was thinking of animating the objects like in the research screen (with the rat running around on the wheel).So the idea is to have the base image with the default items, and then a random chance of another item showing, so that the screen doesn't get old too quickly. These items could be the Newtons cradle and Conical flask (as below), or changes to other items, such as the plant, or anything really. For some of the items the chances could be a lot higher, such as a 1 in 100 chance of getting something really rare.

I'll also work on adding some more default items to the screen, maybe a photo on the wall or some of these ideas:

I like the idea of the little animation, like research and bank screen

Perhaps have one for each type of fax, which are:new disease discoveredemergencyemergency feedbackVIP visit requestVIP feedbackContagion foundContagion feedback/fine/compensationPerhaps all the feedbacks could have the same animation, I think that is all the types of fax we get....

Let's seenew disease discovered - the flask could work well with thisemergency - like the helicopter idea, links in with the movie for level changesemergency feedbackVIP visit request hat could work, I like the newtons cradle too, but perhaps we could use that for the feedbacks along with being able to see your feet on the desk taking it easy.VIP feedbackContagion found - perhaps have a rat on the desk, it escaped from the wheel in research screen maybeContagion feedback/fine/compensation

The "contagion found" screen should have a surgical mask in there somewhere. It's not an animated feature, but it fits.

Perhaps the "VIP visit request" screen should have the stress toy, in the shape of the old doctor from the original main menu, animating being squeezed (eyes/tongue popping out when squeezed). I think it'd be all right if it did this by itself, and not showing the player's hand gripping it.

I'm coming to this thread quite late in the day, so apologies if any of this has been suggested/rejected already.

As Serial Colour also suggested, my first instinct was to stay with something more similar to the original fax screen - only changing it to a modern printer/copier with a similar animation to the level end screen (i.e. paper copy of an email comes out of the printer which then contains the information; and the cheats are entered onto the printer's control panel).

Bearing in mind that Joe.w has already progressed so far with the computer/email version I wouldn't want his work to go to waste, so here are my thoughts on how I would like to see it improved:

Put a screencap of the hospital budget screen behind the open email on the monitor - who has only a single window open on their computer nowadays?

With the phone in the dock like that, covering the start/end calls button, how does one trigger the cheats? As I recall, you had to enter the code and then hit the send fax button in the original version. How about changing the dock to a novelty version in the shape of the TH doctor with the phone between his outstretched arms (kind of stealing Serial Colour's other suggestion here), or if that can't be done for legal reasons perhaps the skeleton from the reworked menu animation? That would hopefully leave the start/end call buttons uncovered.

Love the idea of having animated desk items like the potion and the newton's cradle (can the movement animation of this be triggered by moving the mouse over it?), what about something like having the doctor's stethoscope on the desk for the "take a chance on cure" fax (not mentioned by MarkL above)?

I like the idea of having them mouse activated, It's something to explore for new players, yet advanced players don't have to see it if they don't want to.

More items have been added: Keys, Cork board, Newspaper. Also new is a post-it note stuck to the monitor. (If you have any other humorous suggestions to be written on it, post below)

Still to do:- Assigning animations or items to the remaining messages. (lots of good ideas above)- Cheats: I've place the phone back on the table, but unsure of how this can work. (ideas?) It must be hidden, yet visible, yet not obvious, yet easy to touch.- Monitor: Hospital budget placed behind active message, not sure how this looks. (The writing will be done by the game)